The Star: McCall Development was one of the first homebuilders in Montana, and the first in Billings, to build a certified ENERGY STAR home. What does this mean? ENERGY STAR homes are built to perform 30% more efficient than the typical new home today and substantially better than an older home. How does this affect the homeowner? By reducing monthly energy bills, for one. Also, there is a one-time $1000 tax-deduction for couples that have an ENERGY STAR home. Home energy use accounts for nearly 17 percent of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and 15 percent of energy consumption nationwide. So, by owning an ENERGY STAR certified home, you could save money on monthly bills and feel good about it too. It’s the best of both worlds!
Don’t Worry: The ENERGY STAR label is earned after the home’s efficiency is verified by an independent third-party. By moving into a McCall Development home, you can rest assured that your home is as efficient as you think it is.
Duct, Duct, Goose: Typically, ducts are so leaky that more than 35% of the conditioned air is lost before it arrives at the target room the duct is trying to reach. This means that more than 20% of the energy used to condition the air is wasted. Improved duct performance depends on sealing the seams between the ducts. Duct tape, which is commonly used, does not adequately seal the joints nor does it last very long. That is why we use a flexible, non-toxic sealant that can move with expansion, contraction, and vibration of the duct components.
Can’t get through me, I’m Low-e: Heat gain and loss through windows accounts for up to 50% of a homes heating and cooling needs. This is why we use windows with low-e coatings to substantially reduce heat gain and loss.
Why Waste: McCall Development is proud to be opening a panel plant in the fall of 2006. This means that the walls in our new homes will be constructed in a plant setting and then moved to the home-site to be assembled creating the frame of the house. By building this way, we are able to cut down on wasted materials and at the same time, build a stronger structure than could be built on-site. But to cut down on waste even more, we use advanced framing techniques that reduce the amount of lumber used in a home while simultaneously increasing the insulation value of exterior walls so that heat loss/gain is also diminished.
Underfoot: McCall Development is pleased to say that we offer environmentally conscious flooring in our homes. Bamboo, the fastest growing plant on Earth, provides a strong, durable and beautiful alternative to over-harvested wood flooring. Bamboo can be harvested about every five years, however, because of its ability to regenerate itself, harvesting the plant does not mean killing it.
Another alternative flooring is cork. Now, you may be thinking that because of cork’s elasticity it would not be a wise flooring choice. However, it is cork’s resiliency that makes it a good flooring option. Like bamboo, cork is also an environmentally sound product. The cork tree is the only one whose bark can regenerate itself after being harvested. A tree can be harvested about every six years and the same tree can be harvested for more than one hundred years! Also, cork is naturally hypoallergenic, anti-static, insulating, and reduces noise. Everyday, Americans throw away millions of plastic drink containers. Carpet manufacturers have found a use these bottles. Known as PET Carpeting (polyethylene terephthalate), it is uniquely strong and durable. PET carpets tend to be heavier, thicker and more luxurious than conventional nylon carpets. They also demonstrate superior stain resistance when compared to conventional nylon carpets.
More Stars: Did you know that if just one in 10 homes used ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, the change would be like planting 1.7 million new acres of trees? ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, like the ones in our homes, use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models.
And that’s a Wrap: Every McCall Development home has a full, weatherproof housewrap that acts as a secondary defense against water, moisture and air infiltration by providing an exterior drainage plain around the home.